The idea of Theosis will be unfamiliar to the Western mind, although it is not a new concept to Christianity. When Christ said, “Repent, for the Kingdom of Heaven is at hand,” (Matthew 4:17.) this is a call to a life of Theosis.
Theosis is personal communion with God “face to face.” [Genesis 32:30.] To the Western mind, this idea may seem incomprehensible, even sacrilegious, but it derives unquestionably from Christ’s teachings. Jesus Christ was the fulfillment of the messianic dream of the Jewish race; [Deuteronomy 18:15-19; Isaiah 53; Acts 1:6; 2:16-36; 1 Peter 2:6-8.] His mission to connect us with the Kingdom of God [Mark 1:15]—a Kingdom not of this world. [Romans 14:17] When Jesus said, “You are gods,” [John 10:34] “be perfect, just as your Father in Heaven is perfect,” [Matthew 5:48] or “the righteous will shine like the sun in the Kingdom of their Father,” [Matthew 13:43; cf Exodus 34:29-35; Luke 9:28-36] this is to be taken literally. For those who are interested, further Biblical evidence for this can be found in Leviticus 11:44-45; 20:7-8; Deuteronomy 18:13; Psalms 82:1,6; Romans 6:22; 1 Corinthians 3:16-17; 2 Peter 1:2-4.
The whole sacrificial tradition of Israel beginning with the sacrificial offering of Isaac reaches fulfillment in Jesus Christ. St. John the Baptist echoing Isaiah says, “Behold the Lamb of God who takes upon Himself the sins of the world.” [John 1:29] St. Paul has this in mind when he says, “If you are Christ’s, then you are descendants of Abraham, and heirs according to the promise,” [Galatians 3:29] because “those who believe are children of Abraham.” [Galatians 3:7-9] The name Israel, was given to Jacob by God as an expression of his fidelity. Later this name was inherited by his faithful descendants. This train of thought is expounded in the writings of St. Paul, where he blesses the Church as “the Israel of God;” [Galatians 6:15-16; also cf. John. 1:11-13; Romans 2:28-29; James 1:1] whilst elsewhere he wrestles with and is pained by his fellow Jews denial of their own Messiah, labeling them “Israel according to the flesh.” [Romans 9-11; also cf. John. 8:37-40; 10:32-38].
That is why, the Church —'God’s very own People,” [1 Peter 2:9; cf Colossians 2:11]—is also known as the “New Israel,” the “spiritual Israel,” striving to the Heavenly Kingdom. Those first Christians realised that the Kingdom of God was not simply equated with a Jewish state or a single people, but is intended for all humanity. [Matthew 3:7-9; Acts 1:8; 11:1-18; 15:16-17; Galatians 3:14;28] Through repentance we are all called to the true Exodus —to the New Jerusalem [Revelation 21:2-3] —as Christ said, “Do not think that I am come to abolish the Law or the Prophets. I did not come to destroy but to fulfill.” [Matthew 5:17].
We now live in an age where Western civilization lives and acts contrary to its Christian heritage, yet it still believes that it knows about Christ and His Church. The West fails to appreciate that over one thousand years separate it from this tradition. As a result, the West’s perception and understanding of Christ and His Church has become clouded. Although no longer perceived as such, Christ’s crowning achievement was also humanity’s crowning achievement, and this forms a watershed in human history. Christ’s message was so profound and revolutionary, that it can be said that humanity failed to grasp both its magnitude and its simplicity.
Theosis is the Pearl of Great Price alluded to by Christ. [Matthew 13:45-46] It can become a present reality for those who are willing to tread the path, and so it is not exclusively an after-death experience. With Theosis death is transcended. [Mark 9:1; John 4:14; 8:51; 11:25-26; Romans 5:21; 2 Timothy 1:10] St. Paul alludes to this when he says, “it is no longer I who live, but Christ who lives in me.” [Galatians 2:20] Again, while being stoned to death, St. Stephen the first martyr offered himself up to Christ and prayed to God for his persecutors to be forgiven. [Acts 7:59-60] The Easter chant, “Christ is Risen from the dead, trampling down Death by death, and bestowing life to those in the tombs” also bears witness to this.
Christianity is victory over death!
Theosis is personal communion with God “face to face.” [Genesis 32:30.] To the Western mind, this idea may seem incomprehensible, even sacrilegious, but it derives unquestionably from Christ’s teachings. Jesus Christ was the fulfillment of the messianic dream of the Jewish race; [Deuteronomy 18:15-19; Isaiah 53; Acts 1:6; 2:16-36; 1 Peter 2:6-8.] His mission to connect us with the Kingdom of God [Mark 1:15]—a Kingdom not of this world. [Romans 14:17] When Jesus said, “You are gods,” [John 10:34] “be perfect, just as your Father in Heaven is perfect,” [Matthew 5:48] or “the righteous will shine like the sun in the Kingdom of their Father,” [Matthew 13:43; cf Exodus 34:29-35; Luke 9:28-36] this is to be taken literally. For those who are interested, further Biblical evidence for this can be found in Leviticus 11:44-45; 20:7-8; Deuteronomy 18:13; Psalms 82:1,6; Romans 6:22; 1 Corinthians 3:16-17; 2 Peter 1:2-4.
The whole sacrificial tradition of Israel beginning with the sacrificial offering of Isaac reaches fulfillment in Jesus Christ. St. John the Baptist echoing Isaiah says, “Behold the Lamb of God who takes upon Himself the sins of the world.” [John 1:29] St. Paul has this in mind when he says, “If you are Christ’s, then you are descendants of Abraham, and heirs according to the promise,” [Galatians 3:29] because “those who believe are children of Abraham.” [Galatians 3:7-9] The name Israel, was given to Jacob by God as an expression of his fidelity. Later this name was inherited by his faithful descendants. This train of thought is expounded in the writings of St. Paul, where he blesses the Church as “the Israel of God;” [Galatians 6:15-16; also cf. John. 1:11-13; Romans 2:28-29; James 1:1] whilst elsewhere he wrestles with and is pained by his fellow Jews denial of their own Messiah, labeling them “Israel according to the flesh.” [Romans 9-11; also cf. John. 8:37-40; 10:32-38].
That is why, the Church —'God’s very own People,” [1 Peter 2:9; cf Colossians 2:11]—is also known as the “New Israel,” the “spiritual Israel,” striving to the Heavenly Kingdom. Those first Christians realised that the Kingdom of God was not simply equated with a Jewish state or a single people, but is intended for all humanity. [Matthew 3:7-9; Acts 1:8; 11:1-18; 15:16-17; Galatians 3:14;28] Through repentance we are all called to the true Exodus —to the New Jerusalem [Revelation 21:2-3] —as Christ said, “Do not think that I am come to abolish the Law or the Prophets. I did not come to destroy but to fulfill.” [Matthew 5:17].
We now live in an age where Western civilization lives and acts contrary to its Christian heritage, yet it still believes that it knows about Christ and His Church. The West fails to appreciate that over one thousand years separate it from this tradition. As a result, the West’s perception and understanding of Christ and His Church has become clouded. Although no longer perceived as such, Christ’s crowning achievement was also humanity’s crowning achievement, and this forms a watershed in human history. Christ’s message was so profound and revolutionary, that it can be said that humanity failed to grasp both its magnitude and its simplicity.
Theosis is the Pearl of Great Price alluded to by Christ. [Matthew 13:45-46] It can become a present reality for those who are willing to tread the path, and so it is not exclusively an after-death experience. With Theosis death is transcended. [Mark 9:1; John 4:14; 8:51; 11:25-26; Romans 5:21; 2 Timothy 1:10] St. Paul alludes to this when he says, “it is no longer I who live, but Christ who lives in me.” [Galatians 2:20] Again, while being stoned to death, St. Stephen the first martyr offered himself up to Christ and prayed to God for his persecutors to be forgiven. [Acts 7:59-60] The Easter chant, “Christ is Risen from the dead, trampling down Death by death, and bestowing life to those in the tombs” also bears witness to this.
Christianity is victory over death!
....pretty close.
